Packaging for Cutlery

ABSTRACT

A cellophane sanitary wrap for cutlery, such as a knife, spoon, fork or serving utensil, covers at least the head of the cutlery and not more than a portion of the handle and is sealed around the head except for a small opening for the neck of the head where the handle can be joined to the head, before or after the wrap is applied to the handle. The wrapping is adapted for keeping the head clean until it is pulled clear of said head by a user just prior to use. The wrapping can be easily removed by grasping the uncovered portion of the handle in one hand and the covered portion in the other hand and then pulling the two in opposing directions.

PRIORITY CLAIM

Priority to U.S. provisional patent application serial number 61/623,940 filed Apr. 13, 2012, is claimed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to cutlery and to packaging for cutlery in particular.

Cutlery includes knives, forks and spoons and may be provided by commercial and retail establishments in consuming eat-in or take-out food. These establishments include, but are not limited to, restaurants, cafeterias, retail food outlets, caterers, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, churches, and shelters and others that provide food on a regular or episodic basis and as a primary function or ancillary to their primary function.

Cutlery is provided to users in different ways. For example, it may be placed on tables in restaurants, sometimes presented wrapped in napkins, or it may be provided in bins or containers from which customers take such cutlery as needed as, for example, in cafeterias. In other cases, such as in take-out or catered lunches, a cutlery set is included within a wrapped assembly that includes a knife, fork and spoon, and perhaps a paper napkin. The wrapping helps to assure the cutlery is sanitary when received by the customer.

There remains a need for a better way of providing cutlery to the public.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to its major aspects and briefly recited, the present invention is wrapped cutlery and a method for wrapping cutlery. In general, the term cutlery include knives, spoons, forks and serving utensils, each of which has a handle end and a head end. In the present invention the head of the cutlery may have a neck to which the handle is attached or is attachable. The wrapping covers the head, and may cover the neck and a portion of the handle but not all of the handle, and may be twisted or sealed, either with heat or adhesives, around the head, and perhaps the neck and a portion of the handle. The wrapping, which may be made of cellophane, is adapted for keeping so much of the cutlery clean as necessary until it is pulled clear of the cutlery by a user. The cutlery may be any type of cutlery, for single-use (i.e., “disposable”) or multiple use (i.e., “permanent”) cutlery, or partially reusable such as a reusable handle but a disposable head, and may be made of any material such as metal, wood, plastic, composite, or a combination thereof. For example, the head of the cutlery may be made of food grade plastic and the handle of non-food grade plastic. The handle may also be designed so that it is interchangeably attachable to any head, such as the head of a fork, knife, spoon or soup spoon.

The present invention is also a method of making cutlery, wherein the method comprises the steps of providing a handle; providing a head that may have a neck; then covering at least the head but no more than a portion of the handle so that a user may grasp the uncovered portion of the handle in one hand and the wrapper in the other hand and then, by pulling each hand in an opposing direction, remove the wrapping. The handle may be joined to the head after the wrapping is sealed or before or be manufactured to be integral with the head. Alternatively, the entire head may be sealed and then joined to a handle when the wrapping is removed from the wrapper.

Prior art cutlery wrapping, while it serves the purpose of keeping cutlery sterile, is often difficult to open and in the process of doing so, small bits of wrapping may remain statically attached to disposable cutlery. The wrapping is thin and can cut soft tissue such as lips and tongue. The present cutlery wrapping is easier to remove and still keeps the head sanitary for the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, disclose the principles of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the present cutlery, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled cutlery of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the wrapped cutlery, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is wrapped cutlery and method for wrapping cutlery. Cutlery includes tools used for serving and eating food, such as knives, forks, spoons, soup spoons and serving utensils. Cutlery may be permanent (that is, expected to be used and then washed for reuse) or single use (that is, used once and then disposed). Cutlery may be made of plastic, metal, composite, wood or a combination of materials. Cutlery may be formed in one piece or formed in two (or more) pieces that are fastened together either before or after being wrapped. Cutlery that is made in pieces and then fastened together may be fastened mechanically by a friction fit, a snap lock, or other means. Alternatively, the head and handle may be glued.

Referring now to the figures, FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the present cutlery 10 and FIG. 2 shows an assembled view of an embodiment of the present invention. Cutlery 10 has a head 12 and a handle 14. Head 12, as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, is a fork head having spaced-apart, parallel tines 16 that are joined at 18 and then narrow to form a neck 20. While the particular piece of cutlery shown is a traditionally shaped fork, it will be clear that the head of a spoon, knife or other eating utensil will have a similar overall appearance except for the shape of head 12. All, however, may narrow to form a neck of the same dimensions and shape as the fork head of the same cutlery set. In particular, cutlery 10 may have any type or style of neck 20 (or no narrowing that can be described as a neck) but companion pieces of same cutlery set (i.e., the knife and spoon are companions to the fork) will have the same shape and dimensions are their respective necks 20 as the fork so that any of the companion pieces may be joined to the same handle 14 as the fork. Various shapes for the heads of forks, spoons and knives and other eating utensils and the shapes of handles are well-known. Although the precise choice for heads and handle designs is not critical, it is preferable that the heads of each of the companion pieces of cutlery terminate in such a manner that they can be received by the same handle.

In addition to cutlery 10, a wrapping 30 covers at least head 12 but covering not more than a first portion of handle 14, leaving a second portion uncovered. A person of ordinary skill in the art understands that “a first portion” of a handle means a proximal portion of the handle on the side of the handle that connects to the head. In two-piece cutlery, the joint connection between the male extension of the head and the female connection of the handle is covered by the packaging (which is important, namely, for sanitary purposes). A non-limiting example of a proximal portion of the handle being covered by packaging is shown in FIG. 2 which shows the joint connection between the head and handle covered. FIG. 2 also shows a distal portion of the handle not covered by the packaging. By “distal portion of the handle”, a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand that distal portion means the portion of the handle that is not covered by the packaging for a user to grasp the utensil for use. Wrapping 30 may be formed of one folded layer or two separate layers of flexible material 32, 34, such as paper, other cellulosic material, plastic, or foil with the open sides sealed together around head 12 with heat or adhesives, except possibly for leaving unsealed a small opening at neck 20 which may be left open if neck 20 is to be accessible through the opening when still within the wrapping 30. Handle 14 may be attached to head 12 at neck 20 before wrapping 30 is applied, after it is applied, or after wrapping 30 is removed. FIG. 2 illustrates wrapped cutlery 10 that is made by joining two pieces of plastic; FIG. 3 illustrates wrapped cutlery 10′ made with integral head 12′ and handle 14′ with head 12′ inside wrapping 30′.

Wrapping is intended to both provide a lower cost sanitary cover for the portion of cutlery that will contact the mouth of the user, or the portion that comes into contact with food as in the case with a knife, and to be easily removable. Wrapping at least covers the head and may include the neck and a portion of the handle to provide a sanitary eating surface. The portion of the handle covered is preferably not more than half of the handle but should leave an uncovered portion that is large enough for the user to grasp the uncovered portion with one hand, for example, between the thumb and the index finger, and the wrapping with the other hand, and then by pulling the user's two arms in opposing directions, easily separate the wrapping from the cutlery. FIGS. 2 and 3 show wrapping 30, 30′ covering head 12, 12′ and a portion of neck 20, 20′. FIG. 3 shows wrapping 30′ covering a portion of handle 14.

The sanitary wrapping 30 is preferably a low cost, thin, flexible plastic film such as cellophane that is inexpensive, non-toxic, odorless, impermeable to air and pathogens, and can be wrapped after being heated so that it stays wrapped after cooling, or heat sealed to itself or an adjacent cellophane surface or sealed using adhesives. Importantly, the wrapping is dimensioned to only cover head 12 of cutlery 10 but not also handle 14. Head 12 of cutlery 10 is the end of cutlery 10 that opposes handle 14 and is joined to handle 14 in use, typically at neck 20 which is integrally formed with head 12.

Head 12 of cutlery 10 is the part of cutlery 10 that is intended to come into contact with food, either in eating or serving food. Handle is the part of cutlery 10 that is held by the user. For example, head 12 of a fork includes tines 16 and the portion of the fork where the tines come together, at 18. The head of a spoon is the spoon bowl. The head of a knife is the blade.

Neck 20 of cutlery 10 is where the head joins handle 14. Near that joint, the sanitary wrapping 30 ends so that head 12 of cutlery 10 is completely sealed but handle 14 is outside wrapping 30 and the only opening in what is an otherwise complete seal is near neck 20. The wrapped cutlery 10 remains sanitary, that is, head 12 cannot be touched directly and does not come readily into direct contact with bacterial contamination.

A method of wrapping cutlery may comprise the steps of providing cutlery having a handle and a head, the handle being joined to the head; and then applying a wrapping to cover at least the head of said cutlery but leaving only so much of then handle uncovered by the wrapping for the user to grasp the uncovered handle in one hand while grasping the wrapping in another hand so as to remove said wrapping by pulling the wrapping from said cutlery.

In the method, the wrapping may cover no more than half of said handle.

In the method, the head and the handle may be integrally formed.

In the method, after said wrapping is applied to the head, the handle may then be attached to the head.

Wrapping 30 may be applied by providing a continuous set of two parallel bands of plastic, with the faces of the bands in registration with each other and running in the same direction but on opposing sides of a row of individual, spaced-apart, pieces of cutlery 10. The bands are dimensioned to cover just heads 12 of cutlery 10. Wrapping 30 is heat-sealed around head 12 of each piece of cutlery 10, leaving only a small unsealed portion of wrapping 30 through which the narrowest part of head 12 (i.e., neck 20) is accessible, and is then perforated or cut so that each individual piece of cutlery 10 is wrapped and separated or separable from the next piece of cutlery 10.

Alternatively, a single sheet of wrapping may be folded and cutlery 10 inserted between the fold, then sealed on the remaining three sides and perforated, or, in still another method for wrapping the present cutlery 10, wrapping 30 may be applied so as to cover head 12 and then twisted at neck 20.

Various machines exist that may be adapted to wrap cutlery in the manner described herein, including US5241807A, US Pub. 20090056287A1, WO2006014107A1, WO2004071892A1, WO2000021835A1, EP1860032A1, EP1776274A1, EP1447347A1, EP1041005A1, all of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

Importantly, wrapping 30, although secured about head 12 of cutlery 10 is easily removed, for example, by pulling on wrapping 30 with one hand and on handle 14 with the other, rather than by tearing, biting, or cutting wrapping 30. Removing the present wrapping 30 is much less likely to leave bits of cellophane or other plastic behind on cutlery 10.

Heads 12 of cutlery 10 may be sealed before or after being joined to handles 14. For example, heads 12 may be made of metalized food grade plastics at one manufacturing facility, and handles 14 may be made of non-food grade plastics in various colors at a different manufacturing facility or a different part of the same facility. Heads 12 may be wrapped in the present sterilized packaging at the first facility and joined later in the facility prior to shipment, at the point of distribution, at the point of sale, or just prior to the point of use. The ability to manufacture handles 14 of non-food grade plastics, particularly handles 14 that are interchangeable among heads 12 of forks, knives and spoons, but can be customized in other ways, such as by using different colors, other design elements, logos, names or monograms, thereby allowing for mass customization with the attendant lower cost of manufacture but higher value proposition for the wholesale and retail purchasers.

By sealing heads 12 only, there is a 60% savings in wrapping material without degradation of food safety. The present wrapping 30 also results in a 40 percent increase in manufacturing productivity by sealing just head 12 compared to sealing the whole of the cutlery 10. For disposable plastic cutlery 10, the present invention provides a significant advantage in lower material cost and higher productivity and is part of a more flexible manufacturing process that facilitates mass customization of cutlery

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art of cutlery manufacture and commercial use of same, that many changes and substitutions may be made to the foregoing description of preferred embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, which is defined by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A piece of cutlery, comprising: (a) a handle; (b) a head attached to said handle, said head having a neck; and (c) a wrapping covering at least said head and not covering at least a portion of said handle.
 2. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 1, wherein said wrapping is made of flexible material.
 3. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 1, wherein said wrapping is made of plastic.
 4. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 1, wherein said wrapping is made of cellophane.
 5. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 1, wherein said wrapping is heat sealed with said head inside said wrapping.
 6. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 1, wherein said wrapping is heat sealed with said head inside said wrapping and said handle attached to said head.
 7. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 1, wherein said wrapping is made of two layers of plastic sealed together.
 8. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 6, wherein said two layers are sealed using heat.
 9. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 6, wherein said two layers are sealed using adhesives.
 10. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 1, wherein said wrapping is twisted about said neck.
 11. A piece of cutlery, comprising: (a) a head, said head being a fork head, a knife head or a spoon head; (b) a handle attached to any one of said fork head, said knife head or said spoon head; and (c) a wrapping covering at least said head but not more than a first portion of said handle.
 12. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 11, wherein said first portion of said handle leaves an unwrapped second portion that is sufficient for a user to grasp with one hand.
 13. Cutlery, comprising: (a) a head, said head selected from a knife head, a fork head or a spoon head; (b) a neck, said head attached to said neck; (c) a handle, said neck configured to be attachable to said handle; and (d) a wrapping covering said head and a first portion of said handle, said wrapping being sealed about said head and said first portion of said handle.
 14. The eating utensil as recited in claim 13, wherein said wrapping covers said neck.
 15. The eating utensil as recited in claim 13, wherein said wrapping is transparent.
 16. The eating utensil as recited in claim 13, wherein said wrapping is made of a cellulosic material. 